Method of treating textile making materials



Patented Mar. 26, 1940 I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I METHOD OF TREATING TEXTILE MAKING MATERIALS Roland Kapp, Newark, and Karl T. Steik, Upper Montclair, N. J., asslgnors to National Oil Products Company, Harrison, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey No Drawing. Application September 24, 1937, Serial No. 165.506

15 Claims.

Our invention relates to a lubricating and softening treatment for fibrous materials, and is directed to the treatment, for such purposes,

' of textile fibers and textile materials of animal,

and R is an alkyl or alkylene group. Esters prepared with alcohols containing less than 10 carbon atoms are preferred, however, because of their lower viscosity and low frictional value, and

vegetable, or synthetic origin. Our invention because they are more readily removed from the 5 has proved particularly valuable'for the treatfibrous materials and less likely to have detriment of nitrogenous fibrous materials, such as mental effects on the fibers during storage. wool, hair, etc., as well as for the treatment of The esterificatlon of the aliphatic alcohol and synthetic fibrous materials of the kind exemplinaphthenic acid may be carried out according l0 fied by rayon of various types, such as viscose, to any of the known methods for preparing v cellulose acetate, cuprammonium rayon, cellulose such esters, as for example by reaction of the nitrate, casein yarns, etc. alcohol and acid in the presence of a catalyst In the preparation of the above fibers, and such as hydrochloric or sulfuric acid; or by reacthroughout' the various stages of working the tion of the sodium or potassium salt of the acid same into yarns and finished goods made thereof, with a chloride of the alcohol: or by any other 15 there is constant need for adequate and eflicient Suitable m lubrication which will have no deleterious efiect' Example I upon the processing machinery or upon the mav terials themselves. This is particularly true in Prior to knitting, cellulose acetate yarn such operations as spinning drawing winding, lubricated with methyl naphthenate, by means 2 wa pin Weaving, knitting, felting, etc. There of rollers 0r wlcksis a1 d for a t t and lubricating agent Yarn so treated has a low coefliclent of friction, whi h ill properly soften t materials without is soft and pliable, and therefore in a particularly altering th r t i t t and which, in desirable condition for the knitting process.

addition, will minimize the effect of electro- Example II I 25 static charges developed on the materials during the above-mentioned operations by which the Isobutyl naprithenatfe 1s swayed onto rayon same are w staple fibers during the processing of these fibers We have discovered that the esters of monomto spun rayon hydric aliphatic alcohols with naphthenic acids T treatment results in a mmlmum Waste 30 are particularly well suited for the treatmentof carding and makes for more umform both nitrogenous and synthetic fibrous materials drawmg' The tensile Strength 9 the spun yam of the types mentioned, and that such esters is also increased by thls treatment as against have decided advantages over other treating suba g i l fi g f the 3 P stances e ween ric ion an ac ness w c lso u y f for like purmse pmr naphthenate imparts to the fibers. 35

fiinlce naphthenic acids are a lay-product of- Example III pe ro eum refining, our invention has the further advantage of providing a relatively inexpensive A mlxture of 75 parts ethyl nappthenate and 40 medium for attaining the desirable lubricating 25 pans used as a mbncating treat 40 and softening effects hereinabove mentioned. By m-ent for raw stock wool which has been 9 naphthenic acids, we mean the mixture of acids If desired the of above mlxture of that name currently obtained in petroleum can be replaced by nuneral oil. Other similar refining, but also include naphthenic acids which Fixtures fatty are synthetically prepared or otherwise obtained. 011s and naphthenatic esters of the 45 The aliphatic alcohols which we esterify with closed can be used instead The mmifigatlon of th acids t produce the esters used m our the ester in this manner changes its tackiness process may b h alcohols as methyl, ethyl, sumciently, i. e., increases its tackiness, to imbutyl, isobutyl, amyl, oet l, l t which are prove its efi'ectiveness when it is used on materials enerically known as alkyl or alkylen monohysuch as wool or worsted fibers. Such mixtures 50 dric alcohols, and, in general, all esters of monohydric aliphatic alcohols with naphthenic acids which are liquids at ordinary room temperatures and which correspond to the general formula R.COOR' in which R- is a naphthenic radicle o1 esters and oils,- however, can also be used on other fibers with satisfactory results.

While the esters, when used as disclosed in the above examples, are readily removed from the fibrous materials by treatment with slightly becomes possible to remove them from the fibrous materials by simple treatment with water, or water containing asmall proportion of soda ash if desired.

While the esters can also be applied as emulsions, or as solutions in organic solvents, it is generally preferable to use the straight esters, either in the non-emulsiflable or in the emulsifiable condition, so as to get the greatest benefit from their efiects on the fibrous materials. Solutions or emulsions containing less than about 5% of the ester, for example, could not be expected to impart the desirable finish, softness, and pliability obtained when the straight ester is used to. lubricate fibrous materials.

Since the presence of the ester on the fibers or yarns is necessary throughout the working processes in connection with which lubrication is required, it is also necessary that the quantity of ester on the fibers or yarns be suflicient to provide adequate lubrication during these processes. We have found that the quantity of ester thus required is .of the order of 1.5 to 3.0% of the weight of the fibers or yarns, though slightly more or less may be used with satisfactory results. A quantity of ester amounting to less than 0.75% of the weight of the fibers or yarns, however, will not provide the proper lubricating effect and will not give the desirable softness and feel obtained on fibers and yarns treated with adequate amounts of the ester.

We claim:

1. A method for lubricating and softening textile materials which comprises applying thereto an ester of naphthenic acids with an aliphatic alcohol selected from the group consisting of alkyl and alkylene monohydric alcohols.

2. A method for lubricating and softening fibers and yarns of animal, vegetable or synthetic origin to improve the workability thereof in textile making operations which comprises applying thereto an ester corresponding to the general formula R.COOR' in which R is a naphthenic radicle and R is an alkyl or alkylene group.

3. A method for lubricating and softening textile materials which comprises applying thereto a fluid containing an ester of naphthenic acids with an aliphatic alcohol selected fromthe group consisting of alkyl and alkylene monohydric alcohols.

4. A method for lubricating and softening textile materials which comprises applying thereto an emulsifiable ester of naphthenic acids with an aliphatic alcohol selected from the group consisting of alkyl and alkylene monohydric alcohols.

5. A method for lubricating and softening'textile materials which comprises applying thereto an emulsifiable fluid containing an ester of naphthenic acids with an aliphatic alcohol selected from the group consisting of alkyl and alkylene monohydric alcohols.

6. A method for lubricating and softening textile materials which comprises applying thereto an emulsion of an ester of naphthenic acids with an aliphatic alcohol selected from.- the group consisting of alkyl and alkylene monohydric alcohols.

'7. A method for lubricating and softening textile materials, which comprises applying thereto an emulsion of a fluid containing an ester of naphthenic acids with an aliphatic alcohol selected from the group consisting of alkyl and alkylene monohydric alcohols.

8. A method for lubricating and softening fibers and yarns of animal, vegetable or synthetic origin to improve the workability thereof in textile making operations which comprises applying thereto methyl naphthenate.

9. A method for lubricating'and softening fibers and yarns of animal, vegetable or synthetic origin to improve the workability thereof in textile making operations which comprises applying thereto ethyl naphthenate.

10. A method for lubricating and softening fibers and yarns of animal, vegetable or synthetic origin to improve the workability thereof in textile making operations which comprises applying thereto isobutyl naphthenate.

11. A composition for lubricating and softening textile materials comprising an ester corresponding to the general formula R.COO--R' in which R is a naphthenic radicle and R. is an alkyl or alkylene group.

12. A composition for lubricating and softening textile fibers and yarns comprising a fiuid containing an ester corresponding to the general formula R.COO-R. in which R is a naphthenic radicle and R is an alkyl or alkylene group.

13. A composition for lubricating and softening textile fibers and yarns comprising methyl naphthenate.

14. A composition for lubricating and softening textile fibers and yarns comprising ethyl naphthenate- 15. A composition for lubricating and softening textile fibers and yarns comprising isobutyl naphthenate.

ROLAND KAPP. KARL 'I'. STEIK. 

